For men in their 30s: Heart-touching breakup songs—masterpieces that can move grown men to tears

me me sheNEW!RADWIMPS

RADWIMPS – me me she [Official Music Video]

Let me introduce a classic ballad that sings of a man’s aching heart, still thinking of his former lover even after the breakup.

Created by RADWIMPS, one of Japan’s leading popular bands, this track is included on their landmark album “RADWIMPS 4: Okazu no Gohan,” released in December 2006.

Despite never being released as a single, it has long enjoyed overwhelming support among fans.

The lyrics vividly depict the lingering attachment to a love that has ended, as well as the ego that, while wishing for the other’s happiness, can’t help but prioritize oneself.

The world of Yojiro Noda’s honest and complex emotional landscape—so distinctly his—will pierce the hearts of adults who usually put on a brave face.

On nights when you carry a weakness you can tell no one about, why not listen to this song alone in silence and let yourself cry your heart out?

LOVERS AGAINNEW!EXILE

EXILE / Lovers Again (Short Ver.)

Just hearing the intro makes you feel as if a winter landscape is unfolding.

Among EXILE’s many masterpieces, this song is cherished as a ballad that leaves a deep mark on the heart.

Carried by a smooth R&B beat, it tells the poignant feelings of a man who can’t help but search for traces of a former lover.

The lingering attachment and regrets for an irretrievable past are pains that everyone experiences at least once.

Released in January 2007 as their 22nd single, it was also featured in a KDDI “au LISMO” commercial, so many people likely heard it at the time.

The vocals capture wavering emotions beautifully, gently keeping you company on a lonely night.

It’s a song you’ll want to play when a passing moment brings back those days, when you want to quietly immerse yourself in memories alone.

umbrellaNEW!King Gnu

King Gnu – Umbrella OFFICIAL AUDIO

This is a mid-tempo track that resonates with King Gnu’s signature sophisticated sound, linking rainy scenery with a sense of emotional loss.

Daiki Tsuneta’s wistful melodies intertwine with Satoru Iguchi’s crystal-clear vocals to beautifully portray the helplessness of a love that has ended.

Released in October 2019 and included on the album CEREMONY, the song also drew wide attention as the commercial theme for Bourbon’s Alfort featuring Kentaro Sakaguchi.

The lyrics, which express the loneliness of a man left behind in a room after his partner is gone and the unfillable void in his heart, may be painful for some to hear.

If you listen quietly alone on a sleepless night, the tears you’ve been holding back might begin to flow.

PretenderNEW!Ofisharu Higedan Dism

Official HIGE DANDism – Pretender [Official Video]

An unbridgeable distance and the reality that you can’t make the other person happy yourself.

This song, a signature track by Official HIGE DANDism, vividly portrays that heartrending struggle.

Written as the theme song for the 2019 film “The Confidence Man JP,” it pairs a pop melody with lyrics that cut deep into the heart.

Satoshi Fujwara’s emotional vocals painfully convey a sense of powerlessness against fate, along with a pure love that persists nonetheless.

Swallowing the words “I love you,” he simply engraves the other’s beauty in his heart and walks away…

That mature exit brings tears to your eyes.

If your chest aches from an unrequited love, immerse yourself in this world.

I miss you.NEW!UVERworld

UVERworld 'Yearning for You'

This is a ballad that captures the aching feeling of being unable to let go of a former lover, finding yourself searching for their shadow in unguarded moments.

UVERworld’s work Koishikute is their 11th single, released in September 2008.

In a complete shift from the intense rock sound of their previous releases, its grand arrangement featuring piano and strings tightens around the heart.

Despite having no specific tie-in, it reached No.

3 on the Oricon weekly chart, proving the song’s strength.

You may be fulfilled by work and time with friends, yet still carry an unhealed hole in your heart.

If you’ve ever felt that kind of loneliness, TAKUYA∞’s pleading vocals will pierce deeply.

On a night when your emotions feel impossible to sort out, why not sink into it quietly on your own?

Happy EndingNEW!back number

back number – “Happy End” Music Video

This is back number’s 16th single, chosen as the theme song for the film “My Tomorrow, Your Yesterday.” It beautifully conveys the contradictory feeling of deeply loving someone even while saying goodbye, carried by a delicate band sound.

The lyrics portray a brave facade masking a heart crushed by lingering attachment and inner conflict, gripping listeners tightly.

The situation that forces a sad lie, contrary to the title, is enough to bring tears to your eyes.

Released in November 2016, the song was also included on the best-of album “Encore” and remains steadily popular.

It’s a standout ballad that gently stays by your side on tearful nights, resonating with anyone who sees their own awkward, tough exterior reflected in it.

balladNEW!Ketsumeishi

Ketsumeishi “Ballad”

This work by Ketsumeishi gently embraces listeners with a melody overflowing with songcraft, keeping the rapping to a minimum.

It’s their 24th single, released in January 2011, and it became widely familiar as the theme song for Nippon TV’s information program “Sukkiri!!”.

Sung over a quiet arrangement woven from piano and strings, the lyrics convey the pain of unrequited love and a yearning for a beloved that refuses to fade.

Even an adult man who usually keeps his emotions under wraps may find the long-suppressed ache welling up when he hears this song, perhaps even moved to tears.

It’s a touching adult love ballad that makes you want to listen alone, quietly, on a sleepless night.